About Me

I'm just me - a solitary wanderer who trekked across much of the world and recently retired to a small farm in the Ozarks.
My checkered past includes time spent as an Army officer, high school teacher and principal, real estate broker, child protection worker and administrator, and social worker with the U.S. military.
Over the years I have resided in a variety of places including Missouri, Virginia, Okinawa, Kansas, Kentucky, and Arizona. I have also traveled to Germany, Mexico, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Great Britain, Belize, Guatemala, Taiwan, Guam, South Korea, Vietnam, and numerous islands in the Caribbean - including Cuba.
I have ridden in a Russian ambulance, hitch-hiked across Moscow late at night, fought an ostrich, celebrated New Year's at a street party in Hanoi, and bicycled across the Caribbean. My travels have taken me to Ground Zero in Hiroshima, the Bolshoi Ballet, China Beach, and the White House kitchen.
The nine things in life that I am most proud of are my children: Nick, Molly, and Tim, and my grandchildren: Boone, Sebastian, Judah, Olive, Willow, and Sullivan.
Life has been very good to me indeed!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Sand Hag Smells a Stunt

by Pa RockCitizen Journalist

Jan Brewer, the governor of Arizona, has been invited to testify before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security. The invitation came from the subcommittee chairman, Senator Charles Schumer of New York, and specifically asked the governor to speak on the defining piece of legislation of her administration - the infamous SB 1070. Specifically Schumer wants to hear the governor's views on the necessity of maintaining the draconian SB 1070 in the face of substantial gains that the federal government has made in securing the nation's southwestern border.

The governor has been invited to testify on April 24th, the day before the U.S. Supreme Court will take up its review of the controversial Arizona law.

But apparently Jan isn't thrilled about the opportunity to speak before the group of senators. Some of her reluctance may be the legitimate fear of encountering a Sarah Palin moment where lawmakers might ask her something that she would actually have to think about and respond to in a logical manner instead of just parroting wingnut talking points. Jan is leery, and her spokesman said that she fears the invitation might be a political stunt to embarrass the governor.

Jan is right to be cautious. Just because she is a governor of a state that has more guns than the entire U.S. military does not mean that those Democratic bullies will show her the respect she deserves. Why that sneaky Chuck Schumer might even stick his finger in her face when there is a photographer nearby!